


change of pace

by ElectricTVLand



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, more characters will probably show up later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2015-10-15
Packaged: 2018-04-16 17:37:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4634214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElectricTVLand/pseuds/ElectricTVLand
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It just didn't make any sense in Sain's head, but he had long since stopped asking himself how all of this happened. Passive acceptance of the change of pace and his new roommate was as good as it was going to get.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted some general silliness between these two. And could be worse, could be Coffee Shop AU.
> 
> I don't know if pairings will become a thing later, but for now it'll mostly focus on friendship. Other Elibe characters are highly likely to make appearances in the future.

Sain should have been one to vouch for the unpredictability of life, but even he would never have expected to end up best friends with someone who was probably the biggest stick-in-the-mud on Earth. It just didn't... make any sense in his head, but he had long since stopped asking himself how this happened.

First time he had met Kent was by complete accident. Alright, so maybe Sain wasn't paying the most attention to the crosswalk and more to his phone's time, he was late for a job interview - and now even moreso when a strong hand grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him back onto the sidewalk.

"What the - " The brunette shouted on reflex, cut off rather quickly by the screeching of wheels on asphalt and a blaring horn. It took a moment for Sain to realize _how close_ the oncoming car had gotten. If it hadn't been for the person behind him -

He whirled around in an instant, locking eyes with a redhead man close to his height.

"You ought to be more careful." The redhead said plainly, Sain nodding in simple comprehension.

"Thanks, dude. But I gotta run!" Sain blurted out, not bothering to wait before turning and dashing across the street, this time without any interruptions. While he was grateful to the stranger, he didn't consider the redhead he would probably never see again for much longer.

 

* * *

 

Second time was also an accident. A month after that failed job interview, Sain found himself listlessly shifting about every passing day in hopes of finding another one.

Seated on the evening bus with his head against the window, Sain barely lifted his head when he felt the seat next to him shift with someone else's weight. When he did bring himself to look over, the brunette couldn't help the nagging feeling in the back of his head that this other man's face was familiar.

"Hey, do I know you?" He sat up properly, and the redhead looked over, a look of mild surprise on his face.

"Perhaps," He answered cryptically. "It's likely we have seen each other in passing."

"Wait, I know you!" Sain exclaimed. "You stopped me from getting run over!" The other man took a moment before realization dawned on him, and he nodded slowly.

"It was nothing. As long as you got to your destination safely..." The redhead spoke plainly, Sain quickly holding back a laugh.

"Thanks for saving me!" He amiably threw an arm around the redhead's shoulders, the other man stiffening in response - but made no gesture to remove Sain. "I really owe you one."

"You're welcome." He answered slowly, folding his hands in his lap as he spoke. "And I don't need anything in return."

Sain opened his mouth to reply, but out of the corner of his eye he saw the street corner he was supposed to get off at.

"Shit, I'll see you later!" In his rush, he nearly tripped over the redhead, stumbling towards the front of the bus and shouting for it to stop.

 

Life was strange, Sain supposed. He hoped he didn't scare the guy too badly.

* * *

 

The third time was less of an accident. With his funds starting to run uncomfortably low, Sain decided the best option to keeping his shitty apartment was to get a roommate to foot half of rent. He reluctantly shelled out some cash for an ad, and he could only wait.

He got a rude awakening in the form of his phone going off, Sain groaning in annoyance and rolling over in his bed towards his nightstand. His hand slammed down on the cell phone, and on instinct he almost hurled it across the room to get the _infernal buzzing_ to stop before coming to his senses and answering.

"Hey, it's Sain. What up." He tried really hard not to give the I'm-totally-half-awake voice, but a few silent moments told him he failed on that effort.

"Yes, Hello. I was calling to speak about the rooming situation..." The other person spoke, and again Sain was hit with that sense of familiarity, even in his sleep induced haze.

"Yeah, that's cool, but um... Can we do that later? I just got up..." Sain murmured, yawning loudly against his will.

"It's... It's twelve-thirty at noon right now..."

"I know. Can we meet and talk about this face-to-face later?"

 

While Sain wasn't paranoid about his new roommate being a creep, he still chose that they met in a public place. A small cafe he regularly visited about ten minutes walking distance from his apartment building, and he instructed the guy named Kent to stand on the street corner. Kent had quickly described he was wearing a red button up shirt, and that was all Sain had to go off of - He had probably said more, Sain just... forgot. He should have woken up sooner.

Sain had sloppily thrown on a t-shirt and a forest green hoodie, and in his sleepy stupor he wasn't sure if he had even told Kent what to look for. He shoved his doubts aside as he pushed past several other pedestrians and made his way to the spot...

_"You!"_ Sain just about shouted the moment he saw the familiar redhead man, dressed in the red shirt as promised. "You're Kent, right?!" The brunette ran the rest of the distance, and Kent could only stare in disbelief for a few moments.

"Yes... And you're Sain?" He responded incredulously, still not over his shock. Now Sain knew he was in good hands.

"Whaddya know! It's a small world." Sain said jovially, again looping an arm around Kent's shoulders. "So, about rooming together..."

 

It had to have been fate. For some weird reason, Sain _had_ to have been destined to meet Kent, of all people on this planet.


	2. Chapter 2

What relief Sain had gotten from a familiar face for a roommate was quickly gone. Kent was ruthless. First, he was younger than Sain - Given, it was by a year, but the guy should have been 40 with how he talked and acted. Second, he was already acting like Sain's mom and they had only really known each other for five minutes. It was all no loud guests and partying, remember to keep the place clean all the time, all bills would be split 50/50 or else, yada yada yada...

"And I'd like for things to be quiet after ten at night. I have classes early in the morning and sleeping soundly would be preferable." Kent explained, the two sitting at one of the outdoor tables of the Cafe. Sain had demanded they meet there, might as well eat here too.

"Right..." Sain mumbled, his gaze wandering away. "No fun allowed, I get it." In their conversation, he had learned that not only was Kent his exact opposite, but also actually doing something with his life and enrolled in the nearby University as opposed to Sain who was currently doing absolutely nothing.

"That's not what I was saying..."

"Might as well be."

"There's a reason I was avoiding the dorm rooms."

Kent was perfect. _Too_ perfect. Gentlemanly, responsible, went to bed on time, spoke kinda fancy, and probably also a business major. How _disgusting._ Sain scowled at the scuffed false wood table, drumming his fingers on the worn surface. Couldn't fate have chosen someone a little less obnoxiously perfect for his roommate?

"Okay, I get it, I'll be quiet after 10..." The brunette pouted somewhat childishly, and Kent slowly shook his head, folding his arms over his chest.

"If it's that much of a problem, we can always not room together." Kent said plainly, light brown eyes flicking over to meet deep green. Sain barely held his gaze level with the redhead before looking away again, an annoyed sigh slipping out.

"It's fine, we'll room together. Just... give me some time to adjust." Sain replied, somewhat hesitant. "I've been living alone for a year, okay? Best I got is neighbors who usually mind their own business." 

"I see." By the looks of it, Kent didn't have that much faith in Sain either - granted, he literally picked the two worst times on Earth for the brunette to leave and impression, but this conversation was only getting worse by the minute.

"Whatever. When do you want to move in?" Sain changed the topic quickly. "I lift and all that, so I could like, carry half of your stuff." He rolled his eyes for a moment, and Kent's apprehension lifted slowly.

"I'm not without strength of my own." Kent said, his expression softening to a more neutral look.

"It's a joke. Of course we're doing 50/50." Sain laughed lightly, grinning at the redhead. "Don't tell me you don't know what a joke is."

"I do know, but..." Kent took a painstaking breath, eyes darting away. "... Please give me time to adjust."

* * *

 

Now much to Sain's relief, Kent didn't have that many material goods. What he had expected to be quite the endeavor was much shorter, although he did have a metric crapton of something in these few boxes...

"So - " Sain managed out before grunting under the weight of the current box, banging it on the frame of the entrance to his apartment. He could feel Kent's disappointed glare digging right into his back, but all there was to do was to struggle the rest of the way into the living room and unceremoniously drop the box on the floor with a loud thud. "What kind of major, are you? These had better be text books." The brunette shook his arms out, turning to face Kent - and he was caught red handed.

"They are." Kent answered tentatively. "And I'm an accounting major."

_"Knew it!_ Knew you had to be some kind of business major!" Sain cackled, fist pumping in triumph. Kent dipped his head in shame, brown eyes fixating on the box as opposed to the older man.

"Rather observant of you." He decided on after some time.

"I'm not entirely stupid, you know." Sain still smiled brightly - man, even he thought his excitement about such a simple thing was annoying. Only God knew how annoying Kent must have thought it was.

"What do you do, then?" The redhead managed a follow up, and Sain's smile faded just as fast.

Oh. He should have seen it coming, but there was still that sting in his chest - he was going to have to admit he was a jobless loser to the Straight A No Nonsense Accounting Major.

"Uh, I'm on a gap year. Woulda been a Freshman like you and all, but I decided to take things a little slower, you know?" It wasn't Sain's best performance, but with the addition of another winning smile, this seemed to satisfy Kent. "But, things are getting a little rough with trying to be an adult and all so here we are." The brunette shook his head playfully.

"Here's to hoping you can get things back on track, then." Kent answered with a soft smile of his own, and the tense sensation in Sain's body swiftly dissipated. Not out of the woods yet, but he had stalled the inevitable for now...

"Let's get the last of your stuff, eh?" Sain managed to shift the topic, and the redhead nodded quickly.

Perhaps there was hope of them not murdering each other after a week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, I guess I forgot to write for a while. 
> 
> Nevertheless, more Modern AU stuff. Most likely to add more Elibe characters real soon. I do love Lyndis' Legion, after all.


End file.
